1. Technical Field
This disclosure generally relates to workflow systems, and more specifically relates to automating workflow participation so a participant's input to the workflow may be automated.
2. Background Art
A content management system (CMS) allows many users to efficiently share electronic content such as text, audio files, video files, pictures, graphics, etc. Content management systems typically control access to content in a repository. A user may generate content, and when the content is checked into the repository, the content may be subsequently processed by the CMS according to predefined rules. A user may also check out content from the repository, or link to content in the repository while generating content. The rules in a CMS assure that content that comes into or out of the system or that is linked to meets desired criteria specified in the rules.
Many content management systems include a workflow system for managing workflow performed by participants that use the content management system. For example, a workflow could be defined by a workflow coordinator for a particular document that assigns different tasks for the document to many different participants. Each participant must perform their assigned task(s) for the workflow to be complete. However, many factors such as other pending deadlines may delay a participant's completion of the task. The delay by one participant can delay the entire workflow when the participant's input is required for the workflow to be complete.